There are three main priorities I can identify for Montréal this summer.
First, Martin St-Louis. I’d like to have him back on a one-year deal despite the recent cooldown since I really like his approach with veterans like Petry & Gallagher and him giving young players a chance is so refreshing after years of old-school coaches. I don’t know if he’s the solution, but he clearly isn’t the problem and I’d link the team’s recent performances to the lack of material to work with after the noticeable holes left by Lehkonen, Chiarot, Kulak & Toffoli.
Second, the draft. Habs have a dire need for a legitimate star player and the last star to come out from a high pick is Carey Price almost two decades ago. They have to draft intelligently like a normal NHL team and draft the best player available at their spot regardless of position. Don’t overthink it, don’t trade down, and most importantly don’t feel the need to trade it for Lafrenière or Dubois.
Third, Jeff Petry. I’d really love to keep Jeff Petry if that’s possible given the progressive deregulation of COVID measures in the province that makes it easier for his family to come back. Hughes and Gorton stated they would only trade Petry if it’s a trade that benefits them, which is understandable because willingly signed an extension with the team and has a contract to honor (although under different circumstances). He bounced back very nicely after a disastrous start to the season, and I bet they’d be many teams interested in a still impactful Top 4 RHD with that kind of track record.
Thoughts about some players
Josh Anderson
After that super-hot streak on the top line, he finally looked like the player he was acquired for but lacked consistency (*acts surprised*). It’s obvious that he’s not the guy to pair with Caufield & Suzuki, but I still don’t think the team is at the stage to trade big assets for a top-line winger either unless there’s a Buchnevich-like offer they can’t afford to decline, so Anderson is the default top line winger unless Kapanen doesn’t work out.
Joel Armia
A head-scratching move from this past offseason was Armia’s extension. The team already had an NHL-ready Jesse Ylönen who could have slotted in for much cheaper. Although I did like his complementarity with Christian Dvorak by the end of the season, Armia is just one Mike Hoffman away from being a buyout candidate if I were in charge. I’d pair him with Dvorak and another dynamic winger to start the season and hope he somehow bounces back.
Jonathan Drouin
Drouin had another Drouinesque season – started the season great, put up acceptable offensive numbers but still isn’t it. I wouldn’t be totally opposed to keep him for his last contract year and try him on the top line with Suzuki and Caufield, but I still think that a change of scenery for another disappointing player would benefit both parties.
Brendan Gallagher
His 30-goal & top 6 threat days seem to be behind him, but I still believe Gallagher can be a crucial player for this team, just in a different way. St-Louis talked about how they worked to “reprogram” him as they don’t want him to be the only one to go in dirty areas and do the dirty work, especially at that age and injury history. They want him to play a more cerebral game and it kinda seems to pay off as he’s producing significantly more since coming back from injury than he did at the beginning of the season. They’re stuck with that contract anyways, so I’m all in for experimentations.
Jordan Harris
Jordan Harris really doesn’t look out of place, but he sure hasn’t very noticeable either - his RAPM numbers pretty much support that. I think it’s best for him to start next season in Laval (unless he has a stellar training camp) and maybe call him midyear after some bodies are traded away.
Mike Hoffman
Another head-scratching signing since day one and was nothing more than just a desperate move to live up to the expectations set by the Finals run which was doomed anyways without Shea Weber and Carey Price. If the Habs can get any return for him that’d be awesome, but if not, he’s 100% a buyout in my book.
Carey Price
Price hasn’t had a memorable comeback so far with a .862 SV% and -3.5 GSAX, which makes Jake Allen a near untouchable on this roster. He has a full control on his future anyways, with a buyout proof contract and a full NMC. There’s really no other option than just sit, wait, and hope for the best in Price’s case.
Jakub Zboril
I’d be willing to bring him on a one-year deal in FA in some kind of Sami Niku type of move (I really don’t get why they stopped using him) as Zboril has shown flashes of being NHL capable. I bet many teams would be interested in him on a league-minimum deal, but the Canadiens have the extra cap space to spare if it’s buriable deal. However, this would require a solid backup option, and therefore I brought back a known entity in Chris Wideman on this roster.
B- prospect + mid-2nd round pick for Petry with retention
Kapanen for Drouin with retention
A conditional 4th-round pick is transferred from MTL to PIT if Drouin plays less than 41 games.
This is under the assumption of Letang leaving in FA.
I like pretty much all of this, especially the small, seemingly insignificant signings like Zboril and Rask. Letang could be a great mentor for Barron, Romanov, Norlinder, and Guhle, as well as being Quebecois.
Does signing Letang to that leave you enough to sign your RFAs the following season?
Only Caufield would warrant a significant paycheck IMO. They could bridge him with Kapanen's, Drouin's, and Allen's expiring cap + a possible salary cap raise.
i have a feeling they will try one more year with hoffman. i cant argue how bad he has been, but thats the case for most players on thisnroster. i would just be surpsised if they buy hom out so quick, but its not impossible. i like the thoughs you put into your post for sure! i wish we.could have letang, buy i doubt montreal is on his radar, maybe if they win the lottery it will help? who knows!!
i have a feeling they will try one more year with hoffman. i cant argue how bad he has been, but thats the case for most players on thisnroster. i would just be surpsised if they buy hom out so quick, but its not impossible. i like the thoughs you put into your post for sure! i wish we.could have letang, buy i doubt montreal is on his radar, maybe if they win the lottery it will help? who knows!!
Letang has always been open about his desire to come & play here and the clock is ticking for him. We have the cap space & I'm sure Kent Hughes would be eager to bring his former client home.
Letang has always been open about his desire to come & play here and the clock is ticking for him. We have the cap space & I'm sure Kent Hughes would be eager to bring his former client home.
oh im sure most players from quebec would consider it, but lets just say its probably not as attractive to come here as when we finish last in the league. its definitly possible! i just think it probably wont happen (but would love for it to happen)
The Pens trade seems fair. Swap two underachievering players and a Vet D to fill a void from Letang. If Letang doesn't resign in pit Montreal would definitely be his first choice. He wants 4 or more years on his contract
The Pens trade seems fair. Swap two underachievering players and a Vet D to fill a void from Letang. If Letang doesn't resign in pit Montreal would definitely be his first choice. He wants 4 or more years on his contract
Yeah I heard the same thing about the term, but I think it'd be possible to throw him a higher AAV to make it shorter